UPT PRESENTS `THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS'
It was a natural decision to follow up Ukiah Players Theatre's presentation of “Alice in Wonderland” with Lewis Carroll's sequel.
The performance of “Through the Looking Glass” opens April 12 and runs through May 5. The adapted-for-stage performance is being directed by UPT veteran thespian Traci Hunt and Wynona Idica, who is reprising her role as Alice. UPT Executive Director Jenny Peterman added her expertise and script-writing skills to the play.
The show's underwriters are the South Ukiah Rotary, Ukiah Brewing Company, John Chan Plumbing, Black Oak Coffee Roasters and Double D Lock and Key.
This performance is a shining example of community collaboration, according to Peterman, who notes the cast has links to many area performance groups and multiple schools.
“We have returning Ukiah High actors Alanna Richert and Michael Gonzalez, and Sean Powell from the Redwood Academy. Afton Edwards and Azalea Morninglight are returning as our narrators. Audrey Ferrell is our amazing actor from SPACE and Alithia Gallups attends Willits Elementary. Katlyn Rumsey is an actor from Mendocino College.
UPT actors include Dell Linney, Grey Wolfe- Smith, Eddie Haehl, Pete Winslow and Hannah Peterman who is a teacher at the Heavenly Homeschool Academy.
Like so many non- profits post-pandemic, the Ukiah Players Theatre is building collaboration into their program.
“Ukiah High School students and Chris Douthit, our board president and instructor at Ukiah High, came over and helped us with the sets,” says Peterman. UPT members have returned the favor for the Ukiah High Drama program.
“Three hotels donated their sheets to us for `Alice in Wonderland.' We had so many leftover that we could make more sets and costumes. One day we were working on the trees for this set. We had volunteers from Ukiah High, friends of UPT, parents and people who wouldn't necessarily cross over in their daily lives. Folks from 9 to 70 years old were wringing out paint from sheets and hanging them on trees. This production has been a wonderful collaborative effort.”
This performance will be UPT's unique and fanciful take on Carroll's equally fanciful book, which follows Alice into another adventure and a different Wonderland experience. After doing some research on the possible meanings of the book, Hunt, Idica and Peterman decided to dispense with much of the chess-themed material and create something unique and more meaningful to them.
“We removed a lot of Carroll's material to create a stronger theme that was influenced by Traci and Wynona's experiences. In our version of `Alice in Wonderland,' Alice was 17. In `Through the Looking Glass,' she is 10 years older,” says Peterman.
“Wynona and I are close in age, and we share some similar life experiences and trajectories. One theme that came up is that at our age, we're really not kids anymore. We've been feeling that very strongly,” says Hunt.
“This is my 10-year anniversary with UPT,” Hunt continues. She auditioned for UPT's groundbreaking youth theater troupe Repose In Action in 2014. “I've done almost everything except playing instruments,” Hunt notes. “We can remedy that,” Peterman smiles. Last year, Hunt
observed a few of her peers directing. She realized her directorial time was near. “I told Jenny I was ready,” she says.
Idica is thoroughly smitten with UPT. In 2022, the Ukiah High English instructor was recruited by colleague Chris Douthit to audition for “Alice In Wonderland.”
“I hadn't done any theater since high school, so I was thinking I could probably help out backstage, or maybe be a tree,” she says. “I was utterly shocked when Chris and Jenny proposed I try out the role of Alice.” From there, she participated in UPT's “Bring on the Men” show and decided to join the Board of Directors.
“Wynona is so compassionate and committed. Last week she hung off the catwalk and got up with an extension brush and painted the upper canopy of the trees. She is so up for the part,” Peterman smiles.
“I feel so much community, love and passion here. This is a place to be and to play — something that had become less familiar to me as I became an adult. I began to realize the impact this place has had on youth and adults. Playing Alice two times has been a way for me to take a lot of things from my life experiences and turn them into art — something that is incredibly healing for me.”
“When you involve yourself in a creative process, you learn to help people process things through art,” says Peterman. She notes that “imposter syndrome” is fairly common in the community theater world.
“People auditioning for roles tend to think they have to have had prior acting experience. I always tell people that what you learn in life in general makes you qualified to do other things with people. So much of what we do here is about learning how to be a successful collaborative community member.”
Hunt stresses how important it is that for 45 years, UPT has provided creative opportunities for the community at no cost.
“I was talking to Wynona about how I started at UPT as a teen. I was able to do it because it was free. I think a lot of people overlook the fact that what UPT provides is a free experience, in an age where experiences are so expensive,” says Hunt. The players have had numerous discussions about the impact of social media on the live theater experience.
“We were talking about how a lot of the AI-produced art looks similar to some of the things we do. I hope this means a future renaissance for theater because face-to-face human interaction is irreplaceable,” says Peterman.
“Sometimes you just have to put your phone down and leave the house,” Hunt grins.
Peterman is overjoyed with the generosity, cohesiveness and kindness of this cast.
“This is the most delightful, sweet-souled cast. We intentionally chose 12 people who are humble enough to play bit and supporting roles along with lead performances. Dell Linney is making the most wonderful faces ever.”
“And Michael, who is a younger performer, is taking a note from Dell. He plays a tree and has no lines — and he's killing it,” Hunt says.
“This show is super charming for all ages. The little ones will love it and every generation will find something wonderful about it. It's a concise, simple, hilarious, lovely and funny play,” says Peterman.
A special fundraising performance supporting the Friends of the Library takes place on Saturday, April 20. Tickets will include sandwiches, chips and dip, dessert and choice of wine, flavored or bottled water. Proceeds will support the more-than-adozen programs supported by the Friends, including the 1,000 Books Before Kindergarten program, Family and Bilingual Preschool Story Times, Teen Programs, the Yokayo Seed Projects, tech help, Bookmobile outreach to nursing programs and the county jail and much more. Those tickets are available via Eventbrite and at the Mendocino Book Company.
Showtimes are Fridays and Saturdays at 7 p.m. and matinees are at 2 p.m. on Sundays. Tickets for the regular shows may be purchased at the UPT Box Office or online at https:// www.ukiahplayerstheatre.